Slick city chargers | Top 10 BEST Electric Scooters of 2023

Have you heard the word on the street? Yep, head on downtown and you'll soon discover that ‘electric’ is the new buzzword up and down the city… or, more specifically, electric scooters.

First, we should point out to those who may have clicked on through from Google expecting to find a rundown of the 10 Best flimsy, pavement-abusing Kick-Scooters, this is Visordown’s ranking of the best “Sit-Down” Electric Scooters you can buy right now. 

If you were looking for ‘Kick-Scooters’ though, stick around, because for a bit of extra cash you could have a proper scooter at your fingertips, complete with comfy seat, miserly running costs and the sense that you're not an overgrown child balancing precariously on two shopping trolley wheels…

As we delve deeper into 2023, there really is no better time to go electric if you’re in the market for a scooter with numerous fresh additions to the growing category every few months… but which comes with Visordown’s seal of approval in our Top 10 BEST Electric Scooters of 2023?

10 - Kymco Ionex I-ONE

You wouldn’t think it looking at the Kymco Ionex I-ONE but this is a significant little scooter for the Taiwanese marque.

Indeed, while Kymco retains a small profile in the UK, it is one of the world’s foremost scooter manufacturers and electric ultimately forms a major part of its future plans, with its first proper assault on the mid-capacity market on the way in future.

The Ionex I-ONE itself, however, lacks the capacity of its more potent Chinese-built rivals, is limited to just 37 miles of range and isn’t as funky as the Yamaha NEO’s and Piaggio 1

It gets a surprising amount of power from its battery, with its 5.6bhp proving competitive, while it is well put together too. At £3,499 it is also one of the cheaper models in its class - worth a look for those who just do short trips.

9 -  Yadea G5 S

While its name isn’t quite so prolific on British shores as yet, the meteoric rise of Yadea in its native China has been so rapid that in just a few short years it has grown to become the world's second largest two-wheel manufacturer, behind only Honda and ahead of Yamaha, Hero and Suzuki et al.

And it owes a large portion of its near 10 million annual sales to this, the rather unassuming Yadea G5 S.

Offered in the UK through the Lexmoto distribution network, the Yadea G5 S appeals with its well-judged focus areas, such as the easy-to-use controls, a comfortable riding position and lots of generous storage.

It’s great value too at £3,699, feels eager to please with its 4.1kWh battery generating 5.5bhp and will go a decent 72 miles on a single charge too.

8 - Sunra Robo-S

Sunra’s Robo-S is a nifty little spaceship-scooter packed with tech and gadgets and comes into the market at a fairly unbeatable price tag.

With a starting price of just £3,299, zero emissions, a two-year unlimited mileage warranty (with three on the battery), the Sunra Robo-S has a lot going for it beyond its wacky name.

It lacks the performance of its closest rivals, but with an 84 mile range and 4 hour charge time, the Sunra Robo-S makes a fine choice for those wanting to go economical, as well as electric.

7 - Horwin SK3

While its profile in the UK remains fairly small, expect Horwin to make a big splash in the electric scooter/motorcycle segment in the next year or so.

Designed to a more sporting brief that its myriad Chinese counterparts, the Horwin SK3 sits at the top of the range and certainly strikes a pose with its chunky, angular front nose arrangement and adjustable front-windscreen.

It packs some poke on the road too, generating 8.4bhp, while Horwin’s claimed range of 98 miles singles the SK3 out as offering the longest range in this run down.

Better still, at £3,349, it remains one of the cheapest too, yet still comes with USB connectivity, LED headlamps and keyless ignition.

6 - Vespa Elettrica

Arguably one of the world’s most iconic silhouettes, the classic Vespa will never not be drenched in Mediterranean nostalgia and vintage charm - but just because it looks retro, it doesn’t mean it has to be old-fashioned under the skin too.=

Say ‘ciao bella’ to the Vespa Elettrica, a scooter that deftly blends all the romance of its quintessential looks with a very modern 4.2kWh battery. While it’s not among the quickest electric scooters out there - partly due to its hefty 130kg weight -  the Elettrica is easy to ride and will go fairly far - 62 miles - on a full charge.

As ever though, the Vespa’s primary selling point remains its famous looks and you’d be hard pressed to spot the Elettrica’s EV origins from the outset. So if you’re sold on electric, can’t resist the Vespa’s charms and can stomach the ambitious £6,305 price tag, then the Vespa Elettrica is everything you could ever want…

5 - Piaggio 1

If you can’t stretch to a Vespa Elettrica and can live without fantasies of (quietly) traversing the cobblestones of a Sicilian borghi, then the sister Piaggio 1 offers its own dash of Italian flair to the electric scooter market.

Pitched at newly-CBT-qualified riders, the Piaggio 1 keeps things modest on the performance front with barely 2bhp being generated by its 1.4kWh battery, but riding it feels very straightforward and easy to pick up.

Indeed, it is clear the Piaggio 1 is designed as a moped for the masses with its bump-proof bodywork, scaled back mechanicals and light 85kg weight, while it will also go a decent 55 miles on a single charge.

Pick the Piaggio 1 Active for a bit more oomph, but if you don’t need the extra zip, then the Piaggio 1 - at just £2,700 - is a bit of a no-frills bargain.

Visordown Review | Piaggio 1 [2022]

4 - Super Soco CPx

The scooter to lead a quiet revolution for the good word ‘electric’, the Super Soco CPx is one of the industry’s more surprising success stories of recent years.

One of many Chinese-origin start-ups built on the foundation of an electric-only range, Vmoto’s Super Soco spin-off has cornered the UK’s fast-growing EV market with its no-nonsense Super Soco CPx.

Even making history as the first electric model to crack the overall top ten best sellers list in 2021, it’s not hard to see the appeal of the Super Soco CPx with its keen base price of £3,749 for the single battery version, rising to £4,999 for the more potent 5.4kWh dual battery version.

Plump for the larger of the two and the CPx hums along at a decent gusto thanks to its 6.4bhp, while the extra capacity allows for an impressive 87 mile range as well. It’s also one of the quicker scooters to juice at around 3-4 hours on a fast charge.

It also has some well-judged standard features, including USB connectivity, keyless ignition with alarm, a reverse function and even tracking via an app in case your CPx falls into the wrong hands.

3 - Yamaha NEO’s

Until the Yamaha E01 makes its way over to the UK, for now the Japanese manufacturer’s big electric hopes rest on one very small moped - the Yamaha NEO’s.

Unusual name aside, the NEO’s is the perfect little starter scooter for those who have just passed their CBT, proving agile, easy to ride and responsive.

It’s certainly no firebreather, but the 3bhp it generates from its dinky 1kWh battery will make light work of heavy traffic, so long as you don’t take it too far from the urban jungle. Remove the battery and you can expect a full recharge time of 4 hours, while the NEO’s will manage around 37 miles before powering down. 

Perhaps the most enticing thing about the NEO’s, however, is it feels like a quality machine, even at £3,350, which should give added reassurance to those getting out on two wheels for the first time.

We’ll leave it up to you to decide whether the quirky design - particularly a front-end that looks like someone stuck googly eyes onto a hand-dryer - is a hit or miss… 

Visordown Review | Yamaha NEO's [2022]

2 - Silence S01 +

It may be called Silence, but the British firm has been drumming up a fair bit of noise for its S01 and S02 electric scooter range recently.

The Spanish-built models have captured their share of the spotlight with striking looks (particularly when mated with lurid colour schemes), keen performance and a host of premium features not usually associated with the standard electric scooter fare.

We’ve gone ahead and selected the recently-launched new flagship of the range, the Silence S01+, which isn’t terribly cheap on paper at £7,475. In return though you get an uprated 7.5kWh battery generating 10bhp, a ‘Push to Pass’ mode that lifts the top speed to 68mph, upgraded ‘Disc Wave’ brakes and even adjustable suspension.

If that doesn’t do it for you then the Silence S01 Connected - which comes with app integration - is a more palatable £6,295.

1 - SEAT Mo

Well-established Spanish four-wheel brand SEAT made a surprise sideways shift into the fast growing urban mobility sector in 2021 and has done so with interest with its inaugural model, the SEAT MO.

Sharing its platform - and much of its design - with the similarly accomplished Silence S01, the MO retains all of its British counterpart’s quality traits, but wins out here thanks to its cheaper price and superior dealer network.

Offering up to 85 miles of range, the SEAT MO also features a removable battery for more convenient charging - around 6 hours. 

Billed as a great +1 to purchasing a SEAT car, the MO also makes sense on its own with its £5,800 tag, punchy 5.6kWh battery and rapid 12bhp on tap. Of all the electric scooters here, it triumphs by feeling the most zesty.

* Prices correct at time of writing [April 2023]

 Top 10 BEST Electric Scooters of 2023 | Key Specifications and Technical Details Comparison